Quynh Luu: Rectifying stone quarrying activities

(Baonghean)Quynh Luu district has a considerable number of quarries, but in recent years, problems have persisted, such as some quarries operating improperly according to design procedures, causing fatal accidents for workers and environmental pollution. Since the beginning of 2012, Quynh Luu district has focused on addressing these existing issues.

For over a decade, in the Num rock area – bordering Quynh Xuan and Quynh Tan communes – a notorious "rock thief" from Quynh Xuan commune has brazenly built a large road leading to the area, digging and excavating, leaving the Num rock formation scarred and damaged. The perpetrator hired local residents to haul rocks and, notably, used explosives indiscriminately day and night. During a surprise inspection, the Quynh Luu District Police discovered the suspect using an excavator to transport rocks and found 10kg of industrial explosives and two drilling hammers. The excavator belonging to the suspect has been transferred to the Quynh Xuan Commune People's Committee for administrative processing.

Water tankers reduce dust pollution at Truong Thinh Joint Stock Company.

The People's Committee of Quynh Luu District issued document No. 485 UBND-TNMT dated April 3, 2012, regarding the "suspension of illegal quarrying of construction stone at Len Num." Despite the district's directive, the People's Committees of Quynh Xuan and Quynh Tan communes have not seriously addressed the illegal quarrying, causing resource depletion and posing a risk to labor safety. The Chairman of the District People's Committee criticized the chairmen of the two communes and instructed them to immediately inspect and suspend the illegal quarrying and handle the matter according to the law. He also directed the commune police to inspect for the illegal use of explosives...

Illegal stone mining has been taking place at the Cay Thi quarry in Hamlet 1, Ngoc Son Commune for a long time. On March 13, 2012, the People's Committee of Quynh Luu District issued Document No. 353/UBND-TNMT regarding the suspension of illegal stone mining in Ngoc Son Commune. Authorities ordered Mr. Ho Van Thanh's household to immediately cease mining operations and confiscated all machinery and equipment.

It is known that Quynh Luu district currently has 18 quarries, mainly for construction stone, including 2 quarries used as raw materials for cement. To address existing problems in mining operations, the People's Committee of Quynh Luu district recently established two inter-agency inspection teams to inspect explosives, environmental issues, and safety in mining throughout the district. Specifically, they will inspect and urge units to implement mine improvement measures and carry out mining according to approved basic and technical designs. Mining that deviates from the design and causes safety hazards is strictly prohibited. Currently, the mines that are seriously implementing mine improvement and layered mining are Ho Hoan Cau Co., Ltd., Binh An Trading Joint Stock Company, Truong Thinh Joint Stock Company, Binh Minh Co., Ltd., Van Son Co., Ltd., and Hong Quynh Mineral Exploitation Co., Ltd.

Regarding the rock quarrying, Dong Giao Stone Joint Stock Company recently experienced an incident where falling rocks killed a security guard. In March 2012, a provincial inter-agency team inspected the site and issued a decision to suspend mining operations, requesting that the mine be rehabilitated to a safe condition. However, on April 5th, the provincial inter-agency inspection team conducted another inspection, but the company still failed to comply with the mine rehabilitation order.

Following the inspection team's directives, environmental pollution issues at the Len Chua quarry in Quynh Xuan commune have been improved. Specifically, three companies, including Xuan Quynh, Quynh Xuan, and Thanh Xuan, have allocated nearly 300 million VND per year to water the area around the quarry and along the residential roads under the supervision of the Quynh Xuan commune police force.

Mr. Le Duc Cuong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Luu District, added: Quynh Luu will strengthen the management of mineral activities and the rational use of resources to contribute to the socio-economic development of the locality. In addition to assigning relevant departments to manage mineral resources, the district also coordinates with the People's Committees of communes and towns to proactively organize planned and unscheduled inspections within their authority. The district's view is that for quarries with large reserves, conditions should be created for businesses to explore and grant long-term licenses so that businesses can invest with confidence.

Van Truong